Folding ax.



' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. April 17, 1906.

Application filed August 30,1904. Serial No. 222,764.

T0 to whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANDREW E. VEoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bra-inerd, in the countyof Crow Wing and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Axes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to axes for the use of sportsmen, and has for its object the provision of a device that is so constructed that its head may be swung within a casing, formed by a part of its handle, when not in use and carried in the pocket or suspended from the belt or a strap assed around the shoulders of the wearer. preferably construct the tool with a hollow sheath-like handle to receive the blade of a hunting-knife the handle of which projects from the end of the ax-handle, making a longer handle for the more con venient manipulation of the ax.

The construction and advantages of my invention will be particularly described hereinafter and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view in elevation of my invention, showing it in position for use Fig. 2, a

Y view, partly in section, showing the ax folded;

Fig. 3, an edge view showing the tool in a folded position, and Figs. 4 and 5 modifications of belt-attaching means.

In the drawings similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

The handle A and sheath B of my invention are made of one continuous iece of sheet metal being formed into a tubu ar handle A and flattened sheath B, having extended ears 0, between which are pivoted the axhead D by means of rivet E. To prevent the edges of the holes in ears 0 pinching the sides of ax-head D and preventing it from turning easily, I make the hole F in the ax-head appreciably larger in diameter than the rivet and interpose a sleeve G between the sides of said hole and the rivet, so that the head D turns on said sleeve instead of the rivet.

It will be seen that the shoulder H on the sheath portion B at the base of ears C determines the outward movement of the head D when swung into the position ready for use as illustrated in Fig. 1, the head being held in this position by means of teats I, formed by pressing the metal of sheath B inwardly. Said teats I also serve the purpose of holding the head in its folded or inoperative position,

the outer edge of the head being notched, as shown at J, to receive said teats when the head is so folded.

The sheath B, being made of sheet metal, is sufficiently resilient to allow the sides to spring out when pressure is exerted against teats I and allow the ax-head to be swung to either position. In folding the head into the sheath it is necessary to press the head against one side of the sheath and then against the other at the same time that pressure is exerted to fold the head in order to spread the sides of the sheath sufliciently so that the edges of the head can pass said teats.

K represents a loop or ring at the end of handle A to hang it by in case the sportsman wishes to secure it to his belt or a shoulder strap.

L represents a hunting-knife the blade of which fits into the tubular handle A. By this construction it will be seen that a knifeblade and ax-head sheath are provided in the same structure and that when the knife is in its sheath its handle serves to lengthen the handle of the ax.

In Fig. 4 is shown a belt-attaching means that may be substituted for ring K and consisting of a tongue M, swiveled on rivet E and having its free end removably secured under ahook N, pressed out of the metal of sheathB.

In Fig. 5 is shown still another form of belt loop consisting of the band 0, formed by cuttin the metal of sheath B on parallel lines an pressing it outwardly.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a folding ax, a single piece of sheet metal bent to form a tubular handle and a wide flattened sheath adjacent thereto, one edge and the end of said sheath being open, ears extending from the ends of said sheath, and an ax-head pivotally mounted between said ears, the butt thereof, when in an operative osition adapted to rest against the closed edge of the sheath, the edge of the axhead adapted to be folded into the sheath through the open edge thereof, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a folding ax, a single piece of sheet metal bent to form a tubular handle and a wide flattened sheath adjacent thereto, the end and one side of said sheath being open, ears extending from the end of said sheath, teats on the inner side of said sheath, and the ax-head pivotally secured between said ears, said ax-head, when in an operative position,

PATENTBD APR.17, 1906.

A. E. VEON.

FOLDING AX..

APPLICATION FILED AUG 30. 1904. 

